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User Review

8.2

In a gaming world full of spin-offs and reboots that end up disappointing the people who made the series successful, Forza Horizon attracted a massive amount of negative attention when Microsoft first showed it off as part of their Xbox 360 lineup at E3. Hardcore racing simulation fans worried that this would be the new direction of Forza, giving it a much more arcade racer-like feel.

To be quite honest, those naysayers were right. Forza Horizon throws much of the simulation aspects out the window, particularly in regards to precision car tuning. However, that does not make Forza Horizon a bad game. In fact, Forza Horizon is one of the best arcade racers in recent memory.

The basic story concept (I didn't realize racing games needed one either), involves a sort of burning man festival equivalent to racing inasmuch that you enter and fight your way through the ranks. As you explore the open world, driving from event to event, everything you do counts towards your popularity level, making the game's end goal two fold. You must not only win the festival by going through all the different colors of armbands, but also become the most popular racer at the festival.

The game's handling model, while not as advanced as that of Forza, feels quite a bit like one of the DiRT or Project Gotham Racing games. While the combination might seem strange at first, it begins to make sense when you recognize the pedigree of the team that developed the game. Playground games is made up of former members of both Bizarre Creations and Codemasters, and the two design philosophies blended together manage to straddle the line between simulation and arcade racing.

While the driving mechanics are often the most important part of any racing game, Forza Horizon has something that is at least of equal importance, its world. The festival itself is largely irrelevant to the world, and it only serves as a simple framing device, but the environment it takes place in is absolutely stunning. This fictional location, somewhere in Colorado, creates opportunities for incredible vistas all the time, and you will often find yourself distracted by some absolutely incredible scenery as you make your way down its long winding roads.

This scenery, combined with the fact that you are always earning popularity, make driving between events a treat instead of the chore it usually is in an open world game. Any time you pull up behind another car, you can challenge them to a race, or you can just drift around every corner and try to zoom past every single speed camera as fast as possible.

With Forza Horizon we have yet another reboot of a popular franchise that ends up creating something completely different. Whether or not its better than old Forza is for you to decide, but as far as I'm concerned, Horizon is a fantastic open world racing game whether you've enjoyed Forza's style of racing game in the past or hated it.

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8.2

In a gaming world full of spin-offs and reboots that end up disappointing the people who made the series successful, Forza Horizon attracted a massive amount of negative attention when Microsoft first showed it off as part of their Xbox 360 lineup at E3. Hardcore racing simulation fans worried that this would be the new direction of Forza, giving it a much more arcade racer-like feel.

To be quite honest, those naysayers were right. Forza Horizon throws much of the simulation aspects out the window, particularly in regards to precision car tuning. However, that does not make Forza Horizon a bad game. In fact, Forza Horizon is one of the best arcade racers in recent memory.

The basic story concept (I didn't realize racing games needed one either), involves a sort of burning man festival equivalent to racing inasmuch that you enter and fight your way through the ranks. As you explore the open world, driving from event to event, everything you do counts towards your popularity level, making the game's end goal two fold. You must not only win the festival by going through all the different colors of armbands, but also become the most popular racer at the festival.

The game's handling model, while not as advanced as that of Forza, feels quite a bit like one of the DiRT or Project Gotham Racing games. While the combination might seem strange at first, it begins to make sense when you recognize the pedigree of the team that developed the game. Playground games is made up of former members of both Bizzare Creations and Codemasters, and the two design philosophies blended together manage to straddle the line between simulation and arcade racing.

While the driving mechanics are often the most important part of any racing game, Forza Horizon has something that is at least of equal importance, its world. The festival itself is largely irrelevant to the world, and it only serves as a simple framing device, but the environment it takes place in is absolutely stunning. This fictional location, somewhere in Colorado, creates opportunities for incredible vistas all the time, and you will often find yourself distracted by some absolutely incredible scenery as you make your way down its long winding roads.

This scenery, combined with the fact that you are always earning popularity, make driving between events a treat instead of the chore it usually is in an open world game. Any time you pull up behind another car, you can challenge them to a race, or you can just drift around every corner and try to zoom past every single speed camera as fast as possible.

With Forza Horizon we have yet another reboot of a popular franchise that ends up creating something completely different. Whether or not its better than old Forza is for you to decide, but as far as I'm concerned, Horizon is a fantastic open world racing game whether you've enjoyed Forza's style of racing game in the past or hated it.

7.6

XCOM Enemy Unknown on the Xbox 360 is a tactical war game that requires the user to take control of various teams with sole objective of to winning the challenge each mission offers. The idea behind this tactical shooter is to slowly engage the enemies whilst remaining in a position where you sustain as little damage as possible. Failing to do this will result in the need to retrain other soldiers who in later and harder levels may not have the tactical skills needed to successfully complete the missions, and so keeping important soldiers with higher abilities is a must.

You also have the option of customizing the team, all aspects of the team, from colors to the names, and after each mission is completed you get the option to upgrade soldiers. You also must keep an eye on the whole team and as their controller you must watch over them as some may require rest or health both during gameplay and after missions are completed.

During XCOM you also have special abilities or what is known as heavy assault class, which, in close combat, when enemies are close to each other, enables maximum impact. Positioning snipers of roofs enables users to have 100 percent sight range for more damage.

So XCOM is very much a tactical game which requires thought. I prefer this type of game because it is something different from simply point and shoot, and in this game there are also some really cool effects when using certain weapons, where you see aliens literally having their heads blown off.

The sole purpose of the game is to win each battle, or rather you win each map location, then move on, during these missions you will encounter different aliens who try and stop your team from gaining control of a section of the map. There are various missions which you undertake, bomb missions, rescue missions, ufo takedowns and more, and it is imperative that you try and keep as many soldiers alive as possible within your team. Once a soldier is dead he is dead, no coming back, and as mentioned before, once this happens you have no other choice but to retrain other soldiers. As missions are completed you get an overall report on the status with a further option to upgrade the soldiers, assuming you have some soldiers left after the mission is completed.

Overall this is a very polished game with great entertainment, the missions and the objectives are very well thought out. I would like to see this tactical approach adopted in other first person shooters. In this game you mainly get an aerial overview as apposed to a first person shooter, the latter comes mainly when dramatic weapons are used on opponents.

7.6

Imagine: Figure Skater was developed for the figure skating fans who dream of becoming figure skating champs. The game begins with the gamer meeting a legendary ice skating coach May Summers with three world skating champions under her belt. The careers and accomplishments of these skaters are maximized to lure in the player which later on forms the foundation of the game plot. Rivalry and training takes precedence above all else and it is important that the gamer not wanting for more in order to exceed in their goals.

For those who are not very much aware of the politics in figure skating, this story line could be a bit of a surprise, thinking that this is not enough to keep the gamer player. However, this is exactly how it is in real life and the gameplay focuses on the life of the figure skater in training and going through the tough and politically influenced skating competitions.

The gamer slowly builds up their character from someone who only has the basic skills into a skating champion. The coach will force the character socially and will bring her around town which will eventually trigger dialogues which will influence the plot. This is the part which can be tedious but for those who understand how it is in the skating world, this is an important activity for a skater.

Once the gamer understands the politics they can immediately get into the real gameplay with the help of, yes again, the DS touch screen which seems to become the norm these days with all things DS. From the leaps, to the spins and jumps, the player has to achieve all of the moves that a skating champion should be able to do, flawlessly.

The design of the game is good and it is very engaging in that it can track the course of the development of the character's skills. The gamer also gets to plan out the competition routines which can include basic moves to the more complex combinations. There are the Quadruple Salchow and the Triple Toe Loop which have to be mastered at the first few minutes into the game. The gamer has to make sure that these be done well so as to avoid falling flat on the face and getting wiped on the cold ice.

The fans of the ice skating competitions would be surprised with the mini games which can be quite challenging. So for those who have long been fans of figure skating, this game is not only well developed but it is surprisingly engaging. Although these is not the usual shoot and kill game, this is certainly worth playing.

7.9

If you're looking for a new game to add to your Xbox collection, Epic Mickey, The Power of Two Xbox 360 is a family-friendly choice that everyone will certainly enjoy. With a world of new features, classic Disney music, special player options, and the reintroduction of forgotten Disney characters, Disney Epic Mickey 2 will add a new dimension to your family game nights.

In this new adventure Mickey returns to Wasteland, the Disney themed gameworld, and faces many changes. Wasteland has been shaken apart by world-changing events. Together with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the two use their unique tools of environment manipulation (Mickey's magic paint brush and Oswald's remote control) as they work together to restore Wasteland.

While earlier versions of Mickey video games may have been more cartoon-y, you'll find that even your pickiest preteen will want a turn at Disney Epic Mickey 2. All the members in your family will enjoy playing this one as the characters, levels, and graphics are all grown up. Players will forge their own path through Wasteland and be mentally challenged as they work to solve puzzles they are faced with.

One of the most exciting new changes to this game is the ability to play as Mickey himself. This feature was not available in the earlier original version of Disney Epic Mickey. Now your kids can enjoy the adventure through 80 years' worth of theme park attractions and characters via the most popular of all the Disney characters.

The first of its kind, Epic Mickey The Power of Two has been described as a musical. Throughout various points in the game, the characters perform song pieces that provide clues and further the storyline. All music is inspired by Disney originals, providing a wonderful sense of familiarity as players can sing along. As the game progresses, players are also able to make choices that change the music and, enabling them to create a customized soundtrack of sorts.

The new Disney game follows a one-of-a-kind storyline written by an award winning comic book writer. Players are introduced to new characters and reconnected with old ones, all voiced by the official character actors for a fully authentic Disney experience. As the game develops, short clips from various Disney films provide additional clues for Mickey and Oswald.

Video game critics lauded Epic Mickey 2 as an improvement over its predecessor, Disney Epic Mickey. The game is a fresh take on well-known material. The result is that it truly provides a unique Disney experience as it incorporates music, movie clips, characters, and even theme park attractions that span 80 years of Disney history.

Disney is a franchise loved by families worldwide. Epic Mickey The Power of Two Xbox 360 enables you and your family to experience this magical world in a new, adventurous way. Mickey and Oswald teach adults and youngsters alike the importance of striving to make a difference when it is the right thing to do.

Ubisoft decided to take a shot at creating a music video game with Rocksmith Guitar Bundle PS3. What separates Rocksmith from games such as Guitar expand is that players literally have the opportunity to plug in any guitar into the game to play. This game aims at helping gamers build on their ability to play the guitar. Rocksmith was developed and produced by Ubisoft and is the first game to truly implement the idea of using your very own guitar to learn how to play via video game.

In order to play Rocksmith a player must use the Hercules adapter, this is a USB cable that connects from the guitar straight to the console. This connection makes it possible for plug in both guitars and after an update a bass as well. Campaign mode is the standard mode this game is played in and can be played via either guitar or bass. You progress through one mode specifically completing harder and harder songs after each stage. As you play the game there is a display that shows you the guitar's fretboard. The objective of the game is to simply follow the commands on the screen in order to construct your own melody. The game helps players by showing them the optimal position their hand should be placed on their guitar's fretboard. There are also song lyrics in the background to help those that wish to hone in on their singing abilities as well. Note that the lyrics are no part of the game and serve only to give you a true indication of how each song is played.

The appealing aspect of Rocksmith is the fact that you gain experience for completing songs. As you gain experience completing songs you get to use that experience to unlock new songs and features. This gives players something to work towards and makes them feel good the more their skills improve. Rocksmith features artists such as The Black Keys, Incubus, Muse, Radiohead and The White Stripes. Rocksmith Guitar Bundle PS3 is a solid game for anyone who loves to play the guitar or who wants to learn how to play the guitar. Since the game literally guides you on what strings to hit and how you are supposed to be holding your guitar it can be seen as a good guide.

Rocksmith Guitar Bundle PS3 received moderately good reviews and was recognized as taking the genre of music video games to the next level. Some video game reviews feel as if this game does not necessarily help someone learn how to play the guitar. It is noted that some notes are off and that the game is not 100% accurate with delivering notes on time. Rocksmith Guitar Bundle PS3 is definitely a good place to start in your guitar learning journey, but do not expect to have superior skills by playing a video game. Gamers who want more than what guitar hero has to offer should appreciate Rocksmith Guitar Bundle for the PS3.

7.0

Ubisoft decided to take a shot at creating a music video game with Rocksmith PS3. What separates Rocksmith from games such as Guitar expand is that players literally have the opportunity to plug in any guitar into the game to play. This game aims at helping gamers build on their ability to play the guitar. Rocksmith was developed and produced by Ubisoft and is the first game to truly implement the idea of using your very own guitar to learn how to play via video game.

In order to play Rocksmith a player must use the Hercules adapter, this is a USB cable that connects from the guitar straight to the console. This connection makes it possible for plug in both guitars and after an update a bass as well. Campaign mode is the standard mode this game is played in and can be played via either guitar or bass. You progress through one mode specifically completing harder and harder songs after each stage. As you play the game there is a display that shows you the guitar's fretboard. The objective of the game is to simply follow the commands on the screen in order to construct your own melody. The game helps players by showing them the optimal position their hand should be placed on their guitar's fretboard. There are also song lyrics in the background to help those that wish to hone in on their singing abilities as well. Note that the lyrics are no part of the game and serve only to give you a true indication of how each song is played.

The appealing aspect of Rocksmith is the fact that you gain experience for completing songs. As you gain experience completing songs you get to use that experience to unlock new songs and features. This gives players something to work towards and makes them feel good the more their skills improve. Rocksmith features artists such as The Black Keys, Incubus, Muse, Radiohead and The White Stripes. Rocksmith is a solid game for anyone who loves to play the guitar or who wants to learn how to play the guitar. Since the game literally guides you on what strings to hit and how you are supposed to be holding your guitar it can be seen as a good guide.

Rocksmith received moderately good reviews and was recognized as taking the genre of music video games to the next level. Some video game reviews feel as if this game does not necessarily help someone learn how to play the guitar. It is noted that some notes are off and that the game is not 100% accurate with delivering notes on time. Rocksmith is definitely a good place to start in your guitar learning journey, but do not expect to have superior skills by playing a video game. Gamers who want more than what guitar hero has to offer should appreciate Rocksmith for the PS3.

8.1

F1 2012 for the PlayStation 3 is a Formula One racing game that is brought to us by Codemasters. The game is the third that Codemasters has created for the F1 genre, after they completed F1 2010 and F1 2011. The game has received mostly positive reviews, particularly when compared to the previous versions. We will take a look at the game modes, some changes compared to F1 2011, and what is still flawed in this great looking Formula 1 game.

F1 2012 has several game modes. The simplest game mode is the Single Race, where you can choose any of the official 2012 F1 races and drive there as a race weekend. You can also choose any of the drivers that were part of the 2012 F1 world championship. The race settings can be altered, which includes the difficulty, what rules are active, how long the race is, and what the weather is like. This ability to adjust and customize is what makes this game so great.

Another game mode is the Career Mode. In a change from F1 2011, the career mode now has two separate routes. The first is the traditional career where you can change your team after each season, depending on how well you have done. The second is the "Rival Challenge", where you pick a rival on the grid. If you beat that rival in the next three races, you get to take their race seat. So, even if you are with the worst team on the grid, you can challenge someone like Vettel or Alonso. If you beat them over three races, you will find yourself in the Red Bull or Ferrari.

Challenge Mode is another interesting edition to F1 2012. As there were so many past champions on the 2012 F1 grid, the game decided to take advantage of that. Each challenge has you pitted against a F1 champion. Your goal is to beat them and win the challenge. You can do this in three difficulty settings. Once you win the challenge, you move onto a harder challenge. The challenges go on until you meet 7 time champion Michael Schumacher for the final challenge.

The online mode for F1 2012 is decent but it is nothing to rave about. There are very few games going on and mostly you will have to get a group of friends together who can set up an online game through Steam. This is what most choose to do, as the regular online games can be very unpredictable.

Many people have plenty of issues with this game and some of those comments are warranted. The rules are still not implemented well, particularly in online situations. There are times when someone will take your car out completely, but you will also get a penalty as a result of the crash. Tire wear is still a problem, especially in wet conditions.

The best improvement from F1 2011 is the handling. It feels more real and it is very sensitive to changes that are made to the car. This makes F1 2012 the best simulation to date, even if there are still chinks in the armor.